1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to timing devices, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved timer apparatus for use in combination with baby bottles for indication of a subsequent feeding time for an infant.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of timing devices in the care of infants is well known in the prior art. The infant requires feeding at predetermined hours of varying durations as the infant matures, but the time sequence may involve several hours or less, dependent upon the particular nature of infant care required, such as the inclusion of special feeding formulas and the like. In this vein, therefore, it is at times difficult to properly chart and program for predetermined infant feedings of varying times and nature wherein associated time mechanisms are frequently inconveniently positioned throughout a household or due to the nature of infant care, appropriate timing mechanisms are not properly utilized.
Baby bottles themselves are of a straight-forward and simple design wherein accessories for the assistance and infant care have not contemplated the need for a proper indication of timing for subsequent infant feeding. Examples of prior art devices are set forth in U.S. Design Pat. No. 47,393 to Wheaton setting forth the conventional volumetric indicators on a baby bottle for display of internal contents of the bottle. U.S. Design Pat. No. 137,510 to Eisele has set forth the use of a thermometer in conjunction with an infant bottle for indication of temperature, whereas Design Pat. No. 165,274 to Dvonch and U.S. Design Pat. No. 251,612 to Lagergren has set forth basic indicator indicia imposed on an infant feeding bottle for volumetric content measurement of the associated bottle. U.S. Design Pat. No. 196,999 to Siegel sets forth an illustration of an infant bottle carrying case, and U.S. Design Pat. No.212,921 to Bloomberg sets forth a further volumetric indicator of indicia imposed on a baby bottle with an associated carrying handle and ornamental support stand.
The aforenoted patents have been cited of interest relative to the indication of the direction of previous patent activity that appears to have been directed to configurational indicia in association with a baby bottle whereas the instant invention sets forth a cooperating apparatus for the use with a baby bottle for indicating of subsequent feeding times of an infant for manipulation by an individual in use of the apparatus.
As such, it may be appreciated that there is a continuing need for a new and improved baby bottle timing mechanism which addresses both the problem of convenience and cooperation with an associated baby bottle, and in this respect the present invention substantially fulfills this need.